<p>I thought I’d have to buy Midwest D cowboy boots to go to school in Texas but the girls at her college all wear flip flops, even in February.</p>
<p>Just consider how much money you’ll save, MidwestMom!
My D plans to go to Boston with her existing wardrobe (Seattle-style), which, according to the idiotic tour guide, is just what East coast lumberjacks would wear. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I asked my Oregon niece who is at school back east. Her take wear what you like with one exception. Your chacos or teva sandals are a dead giveaway for the Pacific Northwest. And if you don’t want to part with them never where them with socks.</p>
<p>I thought lumberjacks wore plaid flannel shirts? Or am I just behind the times on my stereotypes?</p>
<p>I thought lumberjacks wore plaid flannel shirts? Or am I just behind the times on my stereotypes?</p>
<p>Good point scansmom- for one " lumberjack" hasn’t been used for a while. The term would be " logger" or woodsman/arborist, depending on who is footing the bill.
Wool plaid shirts are often worn and Carhartts are standard.
In the northwest though, a logger would need rain gear made for Alaskan fishing, not just a fleece. ;)</p>
<p>I live in the NE and wear Tevas. Lots of people I know do. Not with socks, though.</p>
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<p>Yeah, but if you said someone dressed like a “lumberjack” that would immediately call to mind an outdoorsy ensemble built around flannel shirts. If you said someone dressed like an “arborist” no one would have any idea what sort of clothing you were talking about.</p>
<p>this is pretty interesting really 
[Lumberjack</a> - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumberjack]Lumberjack”>Lumberjack - Wikipedia)
but this is the first thing that came to mind
[Trailblazer</a> Foods - Processor & co-packer of specialty foods](<a href=“http://www.tbfoods.com/product.cfm?sid=A8B974B9ECDCEA42537BA406A0221B47&p=32780&c=4208&cs=products.cfm%3Fsid%3DA8B974B9ECDCEA42537BA406A0221B47%26c%3D4208%26kys%3D%26pg%3D1%26m%3D0]Trailblazer”>http://www.tbfoods.com/product.cfm?sid=A8B974B9ECDCEA42537BA406A0221B47&p=32780&c=4208&cs=products.cfm%3Fsid%3DA8B974B9ECDCEA42537BA406A0221B47%26c%3D4208%26kys%3D%26pg%3D1%26m%3D0)</p>
<p>[-</a> wear your Chacos & Seattle Sombrero with pride!](<a href=“http://werealotlikeyou.com/]-”>http://werealotlikeyou.com/):D</p>
<p>Well, the arborist who came to take out my leaner tree after the big storm a year and a half ago wore jeans and a plaid flannel shirt. And work boots with steel toes.</p>
<p>I think you were obviously uncomfortable with what the guide tour said to you. Instead of taking the approach of telling you, “don’t worry about what people say about you, just dress the way you want, and be yourself.” If it’s just to give yourself a bit more confidence, it’s perfectly fine to modify your wardrobe to try to fit in. </p>
<p>This is what I have seen my 2 Ds wear. I would suggest for you to get a few nice fitting jeans (designer or regular), but the key is good fit, instead of leggings. In the winter, get some big, bulky sweaters for day wear. To be conservative and proper, get some cashmere sweaters (long, short, v-neck, turtleneck, depending on your body type). They could be worn with some beautiful, colorful scarves (could even get some on the street). Many girls also wear long sweaters or T-shirts with wide, decorative belt, hanging low on their waist. NYC could be wet and cold in the winter. You could get some nice boots, over or under your jeans. They don’t really have to be waterproof. In the fall, colorful ballet flats with skinny jeans (if you are tall) also look very nice. I think it’s more stylish for girls to carry a large, handbag (or tote) instead of backpack. I would invest in a nice over coat that you would be happy to wear everyday - get your sweaters and scarves, then try the coat over the sweaters to ensure the fit and right color scheme.</p>
<p>You could certainly buy those things at many of NYC’s great department stores, but you could also pick them up cheap at H&M, Daffy’s, Century21. Not everyone wears black in NYC. I heard berry (purple) is the hot color this season.</p>
<p>^^Thanks for the specific and practical advice, oldfort. Our bonus room has turned into the college packing triage center and I’m looking forward to moving some things from the “take” to the “leave” pile based on your post.</p>
<p>My musician son has been attending grad school in NYC for the past year. He is orginally from the midwest. He definitely pays more attention to his wardrobe now than he ever has in the past. I would say that for the most part you will want to be a little dressier when you are in lower Manhattan. Dark colors, nicer shoes, etc. Son has found quite a few discount clothing places and has been “upping” his clothes over time as his budget permits. I would not spend a lot of money on clothes before you get to school. Once you get there you can kind of get a feel for what people wear and then go shopping. I think that Oldfort gave you good advice.</p>
<p>Maybe that’s why my NJ S dropped out in the end. Never gave a FIG how NY’rs dressed…I’m always surprised by anyone that changes their own style to fit where they are, though.</p>
<p>My advice for the OP is–be yourself.</p>
<p>I think Oldfort and Garland both have good advice, and I don’t see it as necessarily contradictory. There will be times when you’ll want to be dressed similarly to the majority, and other times when you won’t care. Don’t be afraid to be different and go with your own style, but do take note of what others are wearing. You might see some things you like that you haven’t tried before.</p>
<p>Regarding the purple trend, it is certainly big here. D was in Paris a few weeks ago and said the stores are full of it, and we went to Brussels last week and saw lots of purple and almost as much teal.</p>
<p>Your chacos or teva sandals are a dead giveaway for the Pacific Northwest. >></p>
<p>As is the Nalgene water bottle, lol!</p>
<p>Seriously, my oldest went to school in WA and my middle DD is in VA. They wear pretty much what they would wear anywhere else in the country. We are military, so they’ve lived all over and have never changed their wardrobes by locale. The oldest is going to GA and taking pretty much the same stuff she had in WA, just more shorts.</p>
<p>Again, I dunno. My D and all her east coast friends wear Tevas and carry Nalgenes.</p>
<p>In the Northwest- they now sell stainless steel bottles.
[Nalgene</a> to phase out hard-plastic bottles - More health news - MSNBC.com](<a href=“http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24200402/]Nalgene”>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24200402/)
Also- not Tevas, [url=<a href=“http://www.keenfootwear.com/]Keens[/url”>http://www.keenfootwear.com/]Keens[/url</a>].
I thought they all wore flip flops & drank Starbucks anyway.
</p>
<p>Chacos>Keens>>>>>>>>Tevas in our area of the pac NW.</p>
<p>Chacos mean “I actually do things outdoors”
Keens mean “I follow outdoorsy fashion trends closely” however, too many moms wear these so their daughters have rejected them.
Tevas mean “I haven’t kept up”</p>
<p>haha…flip flops are the footwear of choice where I live in New England from about February through November. Yes, in the snow and 20 degrees. When the snow starts going higher…well moccasins are good. But still no socks. Ever.</p>
<p>I do some work in NY and black is still big - even in the summer. NY Times just did their weekly fashion pictorial on ladies in black. Can’t hurt to pick up some black shirts/sweaters and ballet slippers to pair with nice jeans, or even black pants. Slimming too. Good buys at TJMax or Marshalls.
I also see lots of women wearing “flip flops” in the summer. The key is that they’re the dressier kind - not the sports types. One single rhinestone perhaps or even a “kitten heel”.
I think the advice to wear what you want sometimes but also dress for the crowd in certain cases makes sense. Most people want to fit in.</p>